So you've won a prize with an instant game, congratulations! First thing's first, be sure that you sign the back of your winning ticket!
The amount of money you win will directly affect which ways you can claim your prize. See below for which bracket you fall into for your options.
For prizes of $600 or less, and if your ticket was purchased in the state of Illinois, you can claim your winnings at an Illinois Lottery retailer. In the event that a retailer does not have the necessary funds on site to give you your prize, you also have the option to visit a claim center, claim via mail, or make an e-Claim.
For winnings between $600 and $10,000 you have the option to either; visit an Illinois Claim Center, claim via mail, or claim with an e-Claim.
For any prizes over $10,000 up to $1 Million, you can either make a claim at an Illinois Lottery Claim Center, or through the mail. If your prize is above $25,000 then you can decide to have the winnings directly deposited into your bank account.
If you're lucky enough to win $1 Million or more, then you will need to call the Illinois Lottery Player Hotline on 1-800-252-1775, option #9. You can do this Monday - Friday, 9am - 4pm CT to talk to a Lottery representative.
Find the addresseses of Illinois Lottery Claim Centers below, please note that you must make an appointment if you are going to visit.
You are able to claim prizes of any amount by mail, though if you win over $25,000 you may be contacted by the Springfield Central Office for more information.
If you choose to claim by mail the you must include the required documents, as well as a printed and completed IL Lottery Winner Claim Form winner questionnaire, and your winning ticket with your signature on the back.
e-Claims are only available as an option if your winnings are $10,000 or less. To do this, fill out an e-Claim form, attaching the necessary documents. Take a photo of the front and back of your winning ticket, remembering to sign the back of it, then submit the form. Your name on the e-Claim form will need to match the name on your Illinois Lottery account in order to receive your prize.
You are required to pay the initial 4.95 witholding tax on your prize, as well as the federal witholding tax of 24% on Illinois Lottery winnings, this is deducted automatically.